Skip to main content

Ancient History

Lost civilizations, forgotten empires, and the archaeological discoveries that rewrite what we thought we knew about the past.

125 articles

Latest Ancient History

Temporary Solutions That Never Went Away

Temporary Solutions That Never Went Away

From income tax to the Korean War armistice, discover how history's "temporary" emergency measures became permanent fixtures of law, politics, and society.

SideProjects Editors · May 30, 2026
Archaeologists Just Found 1,000 Roman Artefacts in a Swiss Lake

Archaeologists Just Found 1,000 Roman Artefacts in a Swiss Lake

Over 1,000 Roman artifacts were discovered in Lake Neuchâtel, Switzerland, including pottery, swords, and a chariot—revealing a military cargo ship that sank nearly 2,000 years ago.

SideProjects Editors · May 28, 2026
Archaeological "Discoveries"...That Were All Lies.

Archaeological "Discoveries"...That Were All Lies.

From the Newport Tower's Viking myths to Oak Island's endless treasure hunt, explore five archaeological "discoveries" that captured global attention only to disappoint when the truth emerged.

SideProjects Editors · May 13, 2026
Discoveries That Proved Historians Wrong About the Persian Empire

Discoveries That Proved Historians Wrong About the Persian Empire

Archaeological evidence and modern scholarship reveal how Greek propaganda distorted our understanding of the Achaemenid Persian Empire's governance, military, women's rights, and eventual fall.

SideProjects Editors · May 12, 2026
The Discoveries That Proved Everything Wrong About the Vikings

The Discoveries That Proved Everything Wrong About the Vikings

Archaeological discoveries have shattered our stereotypes about Vikings. From female warriors and advanced legal systems to global trade networks and surprising cleanliness, the real Norse people were far more complex than legend suggests.

SideProjects Editors · April 23, 2026
The Insane City Located Beneath Beijing...

The Insane City Located Beneath Beijing...

Discover Dixia Cheng, the massive underground city built beneath Beijing during the Cold War to shelter millions from Soviet nuclear attack, and its strange afterlife as housing for China's poor.

SideProjects Editors · April 21, 2026
SideProjects Newsletter

SideProjects Insider

The weekly dispatch for curious builders — what gets made, what goes wrong, and what to try next.

12,000+

Builders, tinkerers, and curious minds subscribed

Subscribe — No cost
Recent Issues
  • Weekly dispatch
  • Lesser-known tales and side narratives
  • The stories behind the bigger stories
  • Behind-the-scenes notes from Simon

More in Ancient History